A Complete History Of US Nuclear Explosions In 90 Seconds

On July 16, 1945, the US Army destroyed a small part of New Mexico by testing the first nuclear bomb in human history, the most powerful weapon of all time. It then proceeded to blow up 1054 more.
A Complete History Of US Nuclear Explosions In 90 Seconds

5 Custom Searches You Should Enable In Your Browser Right Now

Custom search engines are one of the coolest features of any modern browser. With just a few keystrokes, you can search Wikipedia right from your address bar, do a custom Google search for Lifehacker articles, or even get driving directions to a specific location. Here are five searches you should enable right now.
5 Custom Searches You Should Enable In Your Browser Right Now

The Black Stump on Facebook

Don't forget to check us out on Facebook!
The Black Stump on Facebook

Scientific American picks top 5 space stories for 2012

The magazine Scientific American announces its most important space stories for the year 2012, with the discovery of the Higgs Boson topping the list.
Scientific American picks top 5 space stories for 2012

Shopping mall shark-tank ruptures

Shanghai's Orient shopping centre experienced disaster on Dec 18 when a huge aquarium filled with lemon-sharks, turtles and fish ruptured, hurting 16 people and killing three sharks and "dozens of turtles and small fish." The tank's failure was blamed on a combination of cold temperatures and substandard materials.
Shopping mall shark-tank ruptures

These Astounding Satellite Images Are The Best Bird’s-Eye-Views Of 2012

Our daily does of satellite imagery through services like Google Maps have made looking down at Earth seem rather hum-drum at times. But there are still magical and majestic sites to be hold, as seen in this selection from 2012.
These Astounding Satellite Images Are The Best Bird’s-Eye-Views Of 2012

Unpublish old tweets with the Shame Eraser

Now that Twitter's finally made old tweets available, you might be inclined to nuke a few. Developer Benjamin Jackson created a tool that makes it seem easy: the Shame Eraser.
Unpublish old tweets with the Shame Eraser

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 18/2012

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 18/2012

Bye Bye TOPICA

Important note if you subscribe to our site updates via TOPICA Their service stopped working in early November and has still not been fixed.  Their recommendation was to start a new list which I did and quite a number of people signed up again. That new list also does not work. Apologies for apparently wasting your time! Hence, I'm abandoning TOPICA as a mailing list alternative effective immediately. Please refer to the Newsletter Signup page for a number of other options that actually work. Apologies to the TOPICA subscribees and Merry Christmas to you all!

R.I.P.: 10 Products That Were Discontinued in 2012

This year, quite a few products disappeared from the market, as technology inevitably marches on. Whether they got pulled for being faulty or just weren't commercially successful, these 10 examples have virtually expired.
R.I.P.: 10 Products That Were Discontinued in 2012

2012's Biggest Winners and Losers

The end is near. I mean the end of 2012, not the world, as dunderheaded Mayan-acolytes believe. Even without looming global annihilation, it’s been the most manic of annums, with extreme highs and heartbreaking lows.
2012's Biggest Winners and Losers

The Most Amazing Science Stories Of 2012

2012 has been a big year for science: people sank to record depths, a private company made it into space, NASA landed something the size of a car on Mars, and physicists finally found the particle that could unify science once and for all. Here are 12 of the most exciting science stories we’ve covered this year.
The Most Amazing Science Stories Of 2012

Seinfeld Plays Ball in 'Who's on First?' Remake [VIDEO]

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's iconic "Who's on First?" comedy routine from the 1930s just got a refresh from a few of today's funnymen.
Jimmy Fallon, Billy Crystal, Jerry Seinfeld as well as Late Night with Jimmy Fallon announcer Steve Higgins and writer A.D. Miles took a crack at the baseball skit in the video below.
Seinfeld Plays Ball in 'Who's on First?' Remake [VIDEO]

What is this bizarre Indian "health gadget" from 1950s Bombay?

Very rare and old Twin Transilluminator in Box from India 1950 in good condition. Its medical Instrument for sinuses and Eye therapy. Its made of steel and backlit. its electrical. on box has some description and photos about how to use this Instrument. Its rare and unique medical Instrument and must for medical instruments collectors. The size of box is 9 inch in length, and its width is 5 inch.
What is this bizarre Indian "health gadget" from 1950s Bombay?

Boeing Creates 360° 'Dream Pass' Video of its 787 Dreamliner

Attention wannabe pilots: Here's your chance to experience the next best thing to flying Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner. The company created the Boeing 787 Dreamliner "Dream Pass," a 360-degree online video that lets you take an immersive virtual ride in the plane's flight deck, and tour its wings and engines.
Boeing Creates 360° 'Dream Pass' Video of its 787 Dreamliner

The Newest Gmail And Google Drive Tricks

Gmail and Google Drive are both popular choices amongst Lifehacker readers. The Google Australia team recently shared a list of some of the changes to those products over 2012 with us, ranging from big additions to small tweaks. Ready for an update? Let’s review.
The Newest Gmail And Google Drive Tricks

Golden eagle snatches kid

One second this eagle is gliding around above a park, majestic, then moments later it swoops down and tries to grab a toddler. It's just so sudden and unexpected: the bird looks small when it's far away, but oh god nope that's one of those Hobbit-carrying guys and little red monkey hat is off to Mordor.
Golden eagle snatches kid

Handy Flowchart Picks a Christmas Film for You

If you’re having trouble picking a holiday film, this handy flowchart can help. Need a film with just the right touch of animation and creepiness? Belief in Santa Claus and swimming pools? The chart has you covered.
Handy Flowchart Picks a Christmas Film for You

These Are The Last Words That Were Said On The Moon

Everyone knows the first words that were said on the moon, but what about the last? 40 years ago yesterday we left the moon for the last time, so now’s as good a time as any to ask. The answer? Well there are a few and you can pick which one you like better.
As Commander Eugene Cernan stood on the moon’s surface before climbing back into the Apollo 17 module and blasting off towards home, he recited a little speech, fitting to be the last words on the body. It went like this:
These Are The Last Words That Were Said On The Moon

What Parents Need to Know About Facebook's New Privacy Controls

Facebook changed its privacy settings on Wednesday and it's important to know what the new changes mean for users, especially your digitally-connected children.
What Parents Need to Know About Facebook's New Privacy Controls

Unusual baby names of 2012

Of all the factors that parents consider in picking a name for their child, one floats consistently to the top: Picking a unique name. (So says our annual baby-naming survey, answered this year by more than 4,000 parents.)
As you can see from the list below, some parents did a bang-up job. Read on to see some of the most unusual, creative names given to babies in 2012.
Unusual baby names of 2012

Handy Hints – avoid high data roaming charges

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman has released its quarterly report on complaints about telcos (see separate story). This time the TIO has published some handy hints on how to avoid high global roaming charges.
Handy Hints – avoid high data roaming charges

Watch North Korea State TV Cover Illegal Rocket Launch

North Korea launched a ballistic missile, which reportedly placed a satellite into orbit. The Dec. 12 launch contravened United Nations resolutions forbidding Pyongyang to develop ballistic rocket capacity, angering its neighbors but marking a chance for new leader Kim Jong-Un to claim a victory.
Watch North Korea State TV Cover Illegal Rocket Launch

10 Videos to Help You Survive the Apocalypse

This could be it. It. One of the last posts you or I ever read. The world as we know it, in all its magnificent, wondrous glory, is coming to an end on Dec. 21. Everything we've ever known -- gone, destroyed and vanquished. For good.
At least that's what they say. According to some interpretations of the Mesoamerican Long Count (Mayan) calendar, next Friday will be humanity's very last. You've probably heard about it.
10 Videos to Help You Survive the Apocalypse

The risks of visiting volcanoes

In 1993, Stanley Williams survived a close-encounter with a volcano. A volcanologist, he was standing on the rim of Colombia's Galeras volcano when it erupted with little warning. Six of his scientific colleagues and three tourists were killed. Williams fled down the mountain's slope — until flying rocks and boulders broke both his legs. With a fractured skull, he managed to stay conscious enough to huddle behind some other large boulders and dodge flying debris until the eruption ended and his grad students rescued him.
The risks of visiting volcanoes

Google’s Zeitgeist 2012: A Year In Review

Once a year Google releases their Zeitgeist–an overview of what the world was searching for during the previous year. Check out the year in review video and then browse the entire project.
Google’s Zeitgeist 2012: A Year In Review

The Best (Worst?) Typos, Mistakes, and Correrctions of 2012

Typos! We love them, we love to hate them. They make us laugh, they make us cry. They come in many shapes and sizes. And so do those corrections—not always typo-related—added to many a newspaper article when it turns out things weren't written exactly as they should be.
The Best (Worst?) Typos, Mistakes, and Correrctions of 2012

12 Problems Solved by Tech in 2012

Some of the hottest tech trends of 2012, like mobile apps and solar energy, are changing the world for the better. This year, we saw a variety of inspiring innovations tackle some of the world's greatest challenges.
12 Problems Solved by Tech in 2012

Mount Everest Doesn't Look That Big From Space

At more than 29,000 feet above sea level, Mount Everest's peak reaches the farthest into the sky of any piece of Earth. But when seen from space, even this monster appears just part and parcel with the crust of the planet it is part of. As Russian cosmonaut Valentin Lebedev observed, "How many people dream of conquering Everest, so that they can look down from it, and yet for us from above it was difficult to even locate.
Mount Everest Doesn't Look That Big From Space

I am itchy. You are itchy. We're all itchy together

Some itches are caused by obvious physical triggers (OMG, there's a spider on your arm!). Others, though, have a more complicated source. Watching other people itch can make you feel itchy. In this piece at Scientific American blogs, Scicurious explains the neurobiology behind sympathetic itching.
I am itchy. You are itchy. We're all itchy together

Radio Shack computer catalog from 1983

On the Internet Archive, a hi-rez scan of the 1983 Radio Shack computer catalog, which is a wonderland of jaw-dropping prices for prosumer equipment from my boyhood that doesn't even qualify as a toddler's toy today.
Radio Shack computer catalog from 1983

Top 24 Most Inspiring Photos of 2012

Photos have a way of transporting us to a place that words cannot. What's captured in the fraction of a second it takes to snap a picture can live forever. During 2012, we saw some truly inspiring moments; moments now seared into our minds because of the photography that captured the subtleties of emotion, triumph and grace in the face of adversity.
Top 24 Most Inspiring Photos of 2012

Prisoners in Australia, 2012

Contains national information on prisoners who were in custody on 30 June each year. The statistics are derived from information collected by the ABS from corrective services agencies in each state and territory. Details are provided on the number of people in correctional institutions (including people on remand), imprisonment rates, most serious offence and sentence length. A range of information is also presented on prisoner characteristics (age, sex, Indigenous status) and on the type of prisoner (all prisoners, sentenced prisoners, and unsentenced prisoners (remandees).
Prisoners in Australia, 2012

Amazing, invisible work that goes on when you click an HTTPS link

Jeff Moser has a clear, fascinating enumeration of all the incredible math stuff that happens between a server and your browser when you click on an HTTPS link and open a secure connection to a remote end. It's one of the most important (and least understood) parts of the technical functioning of the Internet.
Amazing, invisible work that goes on when you click an HTTPS link

One Minute of Life Changing Advice From Steve Jobs

Innovator, genius, imitator, businessman, designer, turtleneck lover. Steve Jobs tended to generate opinions from across the spectrum, but being inspirational reamins a steadfast quality in the Apple founder.
One Minute of Life Changing Advice From Steve Jobs

Banned Children’s Toys from Christmases Past

What could possibly go wrong giving a child a nuclear science kit that includes highly poisonous materials inside? Everything of course, which is why that particular toy only lasted a single holiday.
Banned Children’s Toys from Christmases Past

Now You, Too, Can “Follow” Pope Benedict, Get News As It Happens

When you wake up tomorrow morning, the Catholic Church will have taken another bold step into the era of new media.
Now You, Too, Can “Follow” Pope Benedict, Get News As It Happens

Look up medications more quickly and easily on Google

We get a lot of queries for medicine on Google. So to make it quick and easy for you to learn about medications, we’ll start showing key facts -- side effects, related medications, links to in-depth resources, and more -- right on the search results page.
Look up medications more quickly and easily on Google

Watch Five Hours Of Commercial Jet Flyovers Timelapsed Down Into Thirty Crowded Seconds

What?! Is that a squadron of commercial airliners?! Not quite, but through the magic of editing, it sure looks like it. With the help of Adobe Premiere, Cy Kuckenbaker took five hours of plane landings on Black Friday and condensed them down into just 30 seconds using composite and timelapse techniques.
Watch Five Hours Of Commercial Jet Flyovers Timelapsed Down Into Thirty Crowded Seconds

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 17/2012

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 17/2012

What to do on Mt. Everest when you're dead

We all know that people do sometimes die while attempting to climb Mt. Everest. But it's easy to overlook what happens to those people after they've died. You can't bring a body down from the mountain. In fact, many of the people who have died there had to be abandoned before they were dead because they couldn't walk and no one could carry them safely back to a place they could get medical care. And that means Mt. Everest is littered with dead bodies.
What to do on Mt. Everest when you're dead

Planhacker: Every Australian 4G Contract Mobile Phone Deal Compared

Want a super-speedy 4G mobile phone but can’t afford to buy it outright? We’ve rounded up every 4G phone available on contract in Australia so you can compare and make the best choice for your needs.
Planhacker: Every Australian 4G Contract Mobile Phone Deal Compared

North Korea May Launch Rocket, Photo Shows

North Korea may be preparing to attempt another rocket launch in the next few weeks, new satellite imagery suggests.
North Korea May Launch Rocket, Photo Shows

Apollo 11 Moon Rocks Found in Storage Area

When Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins came back to Earth on July 24, 1969, they also brought home 22 kilograms of lunar rocks.
President Nixon gave out many of those rocks as gifts, including a little desktop display and plaque that went to each state. Over the years, some of those rocks were lost. But five of them have just been found — in a storage area belonging to the Minnesota National Guard.
Apollo 11 Moon Rocks Found in Storage Area

The Bing Top Searches of 2012 Report

Believe it or not, it’s already time to look back at 2012 and reflect on the moments that most fascinated Americans this year. From one of the most hotly contested elections in US history, the pageantry of the Olympic Games in London and high profile IPOs to rising stars, reality TV and Gangnam Style, it’s been a pretty exciting twelve months.
The Bing Top Searches of 2012 Report

The Four Leading Electric Novelties of 1897

Scanned and Flickr'd by Captain Geoffrey Spaulding, an ad for Ohio Electric Works, 1897.
The Four Leading Electric Novelties of 1897

How to Pinpoint Food Allergies: 13 steps

If you suspect you have a food allergy, there are several key ways to identify the particular food or foods that are causing problems. Follow these steps to pinpoint your potential food allergies.
How to Pinpoint Food Allergies: 13 steps

Watch This Spectacular Water Spout Lash The Australian Coastline

Sea tornados off the coast of Australia are not new. But this one is particularly striking and huge. It was filmed this Sunday at Batemans Bay, in New South Wales.
Watch This Spectacular Water Spout Lash The Australian Coastline

5 Ways to Protect your Accounts When Shopping Online

As we gear up for the holiday shopping season, it’s important to remain mindful of online identity theft and cybersecurity.
Whether you’re part of the 41% to 45% of consumers concerned about online privacy, computer viruses or identity theft, it doesn’t hurt to be aware of how to make yourself more secure.
Although it’s tempting to find a deal and splurge during the gift-giving time of year, the five tips below encourage you to be extra cautious while serving as a guide to protecting yourself.
5 Ways to Protect your Accounts When Shopping Online

A Map Of Stupid Things People Have Said To US Airport Security Officials

The first rule of air travel in the modern world is to avoid making jokes about bombs at the security checkpoint, but that doesn’t stop people coming out with comments like “I have a torpedo in my brassiere”. We’ve mapped some of the most ridiculous offenders.
A Map Of Stupid Things People Have Said To US Airport Security Officials

Microsoft Skydrive: now with selective synchronization

Microsoft has improved its file hosting and synchronization service Skydrive in wake of the deeper integration into the Windows 8 operating system. Some features are only available to users of the operating system, like the synchronization of account related preferences and customizations, while the bulk of improvements are available for all systems. Microsoft Group Program Manager for SkyDrive apps Mike Torres revealed today that SkyDrive usage has doubled in the past six month period, which does not come as a surprise.
Microsoft Skydrive: now with selective synchronization

The Best Places To Hide Valuables In Your House

There’s more to hiding your valuables than making them hard to find. Whether you’re hiding a money stash from burglars or secret documents from an enemy spy, here are a few tips anyone can use to keep something under wraps.
The Best Places To Hide Valuables In Your House

Teller explains the psychology of magic

Teller had a great piece in last March's Smithsonian magazine, explaining the overarching principles behind all magic tricks. It's a great look at the way that our brains can be enticed to fool themselves.
Teller explains the psychology of magic

Oxford University Press Announces GIF as 2012 Word of the Year

Oxford American Dictionaries announced today that it chose the verb GIF as its 2012 Word of the Year. According to Oxford Dictionaries Online GIF is defined as:
GIF, verb; to create a GIF file of (an image or video sequence, especially relating to an event).
Oxford University Press Announces GIF as 2012 Word of the Year

Power A Laptop With AA Batteries

Laptop batteries are designed to deliver a specific voltage and amperage, and deviating from those can be bad for the device in the long term. However, it is possible to run a laptop off a set of AA batteries, and doing so is a good education in basic electronics.
Power A Laptop With AA Batteries

How To Be Happy

My inbox is often inundated with emails from readers all over the world, most of them have a problem, some have more than one. The issue though is not that they have problems, it is that they are unable to remain happy among such problems. It is therefore a common belief that if my problem disappears, so will my pain and if there is no pain, I will feel happy. That is rarely the case.
How To Be Happy

Australian Mazes: Lifehacker’s Complete List

With the Christmas break fast approaching, visiting a maze is a great way to entertain the family. We’ve gathered together all of Australia’s commercially-operated mazes on a single map so you can get lost in the maze of your choice.
Australian Mazes: Lifehacker’s Complete List

‘A Person Becomes Old When His Mind Is More Occupied By Memories Than Aspirations’

This quotation comes from web designer Navin Kulkarni in a Quora thread about the point in life when a person becomes old.
‘A Person Becomes Old When His Mind Is More Occupied By Memories Than Aspirations’

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 16/2012

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 16/2012

Would You Fly On An Airplane Without Any Seats?

Ryanair absolutely loves to stir up publicity by way of controversy, and it has another idea for its aeroplanes: no seats. As if charging to use the restroom wasn’t enough, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary believes that seatbelts on planes are useless, so therefore it’s a waste to even have seats. Make people stand!
Would You Fly On An Airplane Without Any Seats?

Insane Attempted Plane Theft Ends in Big Crash [VIDEO]

Here’s something you don’t see everyday: a man attempting to steal a plane from the airport and using reverse thrust — typically deployed to slow a plane down after landing — to drive the plane backward, then crashing into a terminal. This all happened at the SkyWest Airlines home base airport in St. George, Utah, back in July, according the news site NYCaviation.com, but the astonishing video of the incident (embedded above) just became available on Thursday.
Insane Attempted Plane Theft Ends in Big Crash [VIDEO]

How to Listen Music Online Legally and for Free

One of our most loved multimedia mediums is music. An art that has been around since the dawn of time and has risen up to become one of the biggest businesses in the world and one of the most influential media of all. This billion dollar industry has sculpted generations upon generations of people and has changed with the times, evolved and has now reached the Internet era. Nowadays, music is widely available on the Internet, be it legally posted by the artists or record companies, or illegally for anyone to download.
How to Listen Music Online Legally and for Free

The Filter Is Dead: Australian Government Dumps Controversial Filtering Project

Almost three years ago now, Senator Stephen Conroy stepped up to the plate to deliver a bold new vision. A vision of a filtered, “safer” internet. The plan was met by hostility from internet rights activists, poiticians, internet users, internet service providers and interest groups alike. Tonight, however, the Labor government’s proposed mandatory internet filter is dead.
The Filter Is Dead: Australian Government Dumps Controversial Filtering Project

Hurricane Sandy: Health-Related Resources

From the NIH:
Hurricane Sandy: Health-Related Resources

The 5 Biggest Myths About Slow PCs

Computers are supposed to make our lives easier, yet sometimes it feels like they exist only to cause us endless amounts of frustration. Popular advice for fixing slow computers includes checking for malware, upgrading your RAM, or even reinstalling Windows from scratch. However, many of these ideas are more myth than reality. We’re busting some of the more pervasive myths, and explained how to actually get your PC running fast again.
The 5 Biggest Myths About Slow PCs

Surviving a plane crash is surprisingly common

A few years ago, I learned that it's actually pretty common to survive a plane crash. Like most people, I'd assumed that the safety in flying came from how seldom accidents happened. Once you were in a crash situation, though, I figured you were probably screwed. But that's not the case.
Surviving a plane crash is surprisingly common

31 Arresting Photos of Hurricane Sandy's Destruction

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, millions of residents from Cuba to Canada continue to deal with unprecedented destruction -- from power outages to flooding and damaged property.
31 Arresting Photos of Hurricane Sandy's Destruction

Hurricane Sandy, as seen from the NYT building

3-days of storm & aftermath compressed into 4:35-minute video, from rooftop camera.
Hurricane Sandy, as seen from the NYT building

Google Earth 7 with tour guides and 3D imagery

Google released a new version of Google Earth, the company’s “world exploration” software yesterday. The new program version is already available on the official website where it can be downloaded for Windows, Mac and Linux. The two major changes in the new version of Google Earth are tour guides and 3D imagery of select cities.
Google Earth 7 with tour guides and 3D imagery

Australian Laws For Using Your Mobile Phone While Driving

NSW has introduced new laws, in effect from today, which make it illegal to handle your phone at all while driving. What rules apply in the rest of the country? We’ve rounded up the current laws for every state and territory.
Australian Laws For Using Your Mobile Phone While Driving

Top Windows 8 shortcuts you should know to speed up your work

This guide looks at the top new Windows 8 shortcuts that you may find useful when working with the operating system.
Top Windows 8 shortcuts you should know to speed up your work

Hurricane Sandy Superstorm Online News, Search & Social Media Resources

Along with the Crisis Map Google is making available and Barry writes about here, I’ve compiled a few more information resources that might be of interest as Hurricane Sandy and the resulting megastorm (aka “Frankenstorm”) pummels the east coast. We’ll be updating this page periodically as the storm continues.
Hurricane Sandy Superstorm Online News, Search & Social Media Resources

The Magical Professor

Todd Landman is a professor of government at the University of Essex. He's also a talented stage magician and mentalist. Now, Landman has combined his love of teaching with his passion for illusion to become the world's first official Visiting Professor of Performance Magic, an appointment at England's University of Huddersfield's new Magic Research Group.
The Magical Professor

The Best Windows 8 Shortcuts And Tricks

Windows 8 sports a radical new interface, designed for both touch-enabled devices and the more traditional keyboard/mice combination. Like any new system, it takes time to learn and adapt to the new options, as well as find the more familiar Windows features. These are our top Windows 8 shortcuts and tips for getting around.
The Best Windows 8 Shortcuts And Tricks

Top 10 Secret Features In Windows 8

Windows 8 is full of awesome features and handy shortcuts, but what you may not know is that it’s got a lot of handy, lesser-known settings under the hood. Here are 10 of Windows 8′s best kept secrets.
Top 10 Secret Features In Windows 8

Google Launches Crisis Map for Hurricane Sandy

As Hurricane Sandy moves near the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast, Google is helping those affected prepare for the storm with a dedicated crisis map.
Google Launches Crisis Map for Hurricane Sandy

New Earth Photo Shows Sandy’s Massive Size

If you had any doubts about the scale of frankenstorm Sandy, check out NASA’s latest image to see its size compared to the entire planet. It was taken by NOAA’s GOES-13 satellite on October 28 at 9.02am EDT (12.02am AEDT).
New Earth Photo Shows Sandy’s Massive Size

Spectacular Video Of Hurricane Sandy From The International Space Station

The International Space Station has just captured this spectacular dolly shot of hurricane Sandy as it approaches the United States. According to NOAA, the Category 2 hurricane is now near Cat Island in the central Bahamas, and its wind field is expanding.
Spectacular Video Of Hurricane Sandy From The International Space Station

How To Prepare Your Computer For Windows 8

Windows 8 has arrived. If you’re thinking of upgrading, here’s what you should do to prepare.
How To Prepare Your Computer For Windows 8

The Cheapest Places To Get Windows 8

An upgrade to Windows 8 Pro only costs $39.99 if you download it directly from Microsoft. If you want a boxed copy rather than a hefty download, the official price is $69.99, but shopping around can get you a much better price.
The Cheapest Places To Get Windows 8

Everything You Need to Know About Windows 8

Microsoft officially launched Windows 8 Thursday at an event in New York City. Available at 12:01 a.m. local time Friday, the operating system is a complete reimagining of the Windows OS and sports an entirely different look from its predecessor.
Everything You Need to Know About Windows 8

Trekking the Grand Canyon for Google Maps

Today, demonstrating the rocky and rugged paths we’ll travel to make Google Maps even more complete, we’re collecting imagery from a place no car, trike or snowmobile has ever been before. On its first official outing, the Street View team is using the Trekker—a wearable backpack with a camera system on top—to traverse the Grand Canyon and capture 360-degree images of one of the most breathtaking natural landscapes on the planet.
Trekking the Grand Canyon for Google Maps

9 Things You Didn't Know About Microsoft Surface

Microsoft Surface is now a known quantity. It’s sold out on pre-order and has been tested to the hilt by tech pundits across the U.S (including this one). The Surface is an exceptional Windows tablet that, with its Touch Cover, can masquerade as a touch-screen Ultrabook. We know so much, but not everything.
9 Things You Didn't Know About Microsoft Surface

Windows 8 Launch Liveblog: Everything You Need To Know

The Australian launch of Windows 8, at 0930 AEST on Friday October 26, marks the official global debut of the product. Lifehacker and Gizmodo will be live-blogging direct from the Sydney event, bringing you all the action as it happens.
Windows 8 Launch Liveblog: Everything You Need To Know

Windows Surface reviews

All the opinions you need...
Windows Surface reviews

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 15/2012

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 15/2012

A Viral Video Compilation Sure to Stir Your Emotions

Prepare yourself for a spin on the roller coaster of emotions while watching a potpourri of viral videos set to music. You’ll giggle, you’ll tear up, you will have to explain to your coworkers why you seem a tad bit bananas.
A Viral Video Compilation Sure to Stir Your Emotions

Follow These 8 Simple Rules of Social Media

Is your social media behavior cringe-worthy? Will you look back on your 140 characters today with remorse tomorrow? There’s no one arbiter of good taste on social media. In fact, ‘experts’ have been doling out advice since the Internet came into being. From Ann Landers writing about Internet addiction in 1998 to manners maven Emily Post and her kids and grandkids who are trying to bring good mannered sensibility to the Internet.
Follow These 8 Simple Rules of Social Media

When geology meets meteorology

Dust from the Sahara desert could leave Sweden soaked in red "blood rain" this weekend.
When geology meets meteorology

99 useful hints and tips for everyday life

99 Life Hacks to make your life easier!
99 useful hints and tips for everyday life

Video Captures 100,000-Mile Solar Flare

A new video from NASA‘s Solar Dynamics Observatory shows a solar flare that took the shape of a light bulb on Oct. 14. The glowing “light bulb” plasma display stretches 100,000 miles long. Located on the left side of the Sun, the active region was not facing Earth at the time, but it has since moved over the eastern limb of the Sun and will travel in that direction over the next 12 days.
Video Captures 100,000-Mile Solar Flare

What ‘Do Not Track’ Doesn’t Do

The “Do Not Track” feature available in most web browsers is a great option to have if you don’t want websites tracking your browsing history. However, as How-To Geek points out, “Do Not Track” provides a false sense of security because it doesn’t block as much as you might assume.
What ‘Do Not Track’ Doesn’t Do

5 Best Anti-Spam & Anti-Malware Software

Protection is a rule of gold, I have always heard. Right after we format a standard computer, the first thing after installing the drivers is the anti-malware and spam protection solutions, to ensure that the equipment is kept out of the harms way, right from the start. This is what probably most people should do, to avoid infections and the flood of emails, but before relying on protection software, you must first know the best alternatives.
5 Best Anti-Spam & Anti-Malware Software

8 Apps You Don't Want To Miss

It can be tough to keep up with all the new apps released every week. But you’re in luck — we take care of that for you, creating a roundup each weekend of our favorite new and updated apps.
8 Apps You Don't Want To Miss

How To Take Better Photos With Your Smartphone

There’s a large contingent of photo enthusiasts online who will dismiss a photo straight away if they find out it was taken with a smartphone. The rally cry of “get a real camera” can be heard echoing through the rafters of comment sections for many websites. We think everyone should have a dedicated camera, but a good photo is a good photo, regardless of the gear used to take it.
How To Take Better Photos With Your Smartphone

A Cat's Nifty Guide to Life

Be curious. Eat properly. Chase lasers. Who needs a life coach when cats provide all the wisdom you could ever need?
A Cat's Nifty Guide to Life [VIDEO]

Why Is the Localhost IP 127.0.0.1?

Geeks the world over know their local host as 127.0.0.1, but why is that specific address, of all available addresses, reserved for the local host? Read on to delve into the history of local hosts.
Why Is the Localhost IP 127.0.0.1?

What Happens if you Forget your Yahoo Account Password

How do you login to any web service if do not remember the password? The answer is easy.
You will click the “forgot password” link on the sign-in page, the website will ask you to provide an alternate email address associated with your account and a password reset link will be sent to that address. Simple.
However, if you are using Yahoo Mail, Flickr or any of the other Yahoo services, recovering your account’s password involves a few more steps.
What Happens if you Forget your Yahoo Account Password

Unbelievable Footage Shows A Bird’s Eye View Of The Entire World

Everyone has wanted to fly at some point in their life. Unfortunately for most of us, watching this unbelievable trailer about Discovery’s Winged Planet is the closest we’ll ever come to actually flying. That’s OK thought because the footage is unbelievable — cameras were mounted onto birds to see life from their point of view.
Unbelievable Footage Shows A Bird’s Eye View Of The Entire World

6 Ways to Get Your Beatles Fix on the Web

Today is the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ first single, “Love Me Do.” Oct. 5, 1962 marked the beginning of an eight-year period that would transform the four young Liverpudlians into rock/pop music demigods. Having survived the test of time, The Beatles’ music is incredibly popular around the globe to this day.
6 Ways to Get Your Beatles Fix on the Web

What Can We Learn From Crashing A Plane On Purpose?

Why do some people survive plane crashes and others don’t? Having an entire aircraft at your disposal to deliberately crash under controlled circumstances, as they do in a new Discovery Channel documentary, would seem a great way to answer that question.
What Can We Learn From Crashing A Plane On Purpose?

Fake Apple Discount Card Wants to Steal Your Personal Info

Have you received a suspicious-looking Apple Store discount card in your email lately? It could be the latest ploy to steal your personal data, Sophos reports.
Fake Apple Discount Card Wants to Steal Your Personal Info

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 14/2012

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 14/2012

Probably the Most Ridiculous Trick Shots You'll Ever See [VIDEO]

From a spinning merry-go-round. Off the wall. Off the other wall. From behind the wall. Off the corner of a curb.
Probably the Most Ridiculous Trick Shots You'll Ever See [VIDEO]

10 Bizarre, Useless Facts We Learned On Reddit

Reddit user Frozen_Beer posed this simple question to the Reddit community:
“Horses can’t vomit. What useless facts do you know?”
One day and nearly 7,000 responses later, our brains are bursting with incredibly useless, albeit oddly fascinating, trivia. We’re sharing our favorites here for people who don’t have time to sort through them all.
10 Bizarre, Useless Facts We Learned On Reddit

Watch Hand Gestures To Find The Underlying Truth In A Conversation

Whether you’re giving a formal presentation or just chatting, chances are you use a wide variety of hand gestures to get your point across. According to Psychology Today, those hand gestures are often communicating a hidden story.
Watch Hand Gestures To Find The Underlying Truth In A Conversation

People from 0 to 100 years in 150 seconds

Kanaal van Filmersblog says: In October 2011 I started documenting people in the city of Amsterdam, approaching them in the street and asking them to say their age in front of the camera. My aim was to 'collect' a group of 100 people, from age 0 to 100. At first my collection grew fast but slowed down when it got down to the very young and very old.
People from 0 to 100 years in 150 seconds (video)

EU working group produces the stupidest set of proposed Internet rules in the entire history of the human race

An EU working group that's been charged with coming up with recommendations for a terrorist-free European Internet has been brainstorming the stupidest goddamned ideas you've ever read, which are now widely visible, thanks to a leaked memo.
EU working group produces the stupidest set of proposed Internet rules in the entire history of the human race

Should I Leave My Laptop Plugged In All The Time?

Should you leave your laptop plugged in and charging when you’re not on-the-go? What’s best for the battery? What’s best for your user experience?]
Should I Leave My Laptop Plugged In All The Time?

Discover Popular Alternative Products with Google Autocomplete

It's easy to find popular products, but sometimes you want something different than the mainstream option. Finding a good alternative isn't always easy, but Redditor wellnhoferia found a simple trick for discovering popular alternative products: Google autocomplete.
Discover Popular Alternative Products with Google Autocomplete

The 20 Worst PINs: Is Your ATM Code This Easy to Crack?

Remember that list of the most frequently-used passwords? Did you have a good chuckle at the fact that “password”, “123456″ and “qwerty” were at the top? You, of course, would never use something so foolish.
The 20 Worst PINs: Is Your ATM Code This Easy to Crack?

HOWTO use a phone (1917)

The 1917 Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company publication "How to Use the Telephone, 1917" is a clear, sensible guide to managing your "delicately adjusted instrument," including useful tips like finishing your calls with "good-bye" so that the other party doesn't suppose that the operator has cut them off.
HOWTO use a phone (1917)

Oldest recorded message in a bottle

Dropped into the Atlantic Ocean's North Sea on June 10, 1914, this is the oldest message in a bottle ever found. A fellow plucked it from the sea last year. The bottle was part of a study of ocean currents conducted by the Glasgow School of Navigation nearly a century ago.
Oldest recorded message in a bottle

Upcoming Space Station Cameras Will Give All Humans Live Imagery Of Their Houses From Space

An ambitious effort to broadcast real-time streaming video of Earth from space is closer to reality, after a new influx of cash and some new partnerships. By spring 2013, everyone on Earth will be able to watch the planet from the most unique vantage point ever built, the International Space Station.'
Upcoming Space Station Cameras Will Give All Humans Live Imagery Of Their Houses From Space

Swiss Federal Railways Says Apple Stole Its Clock

If you think Apple’s new clock design in iOS 6 looks like a Swiss watch, that may be because it is.
Swiss Federal Railways Says Apple Stole Its Clock

Windows Secrets Newsletter website hacked

It recently became known that the Windows Secrets Newsletter website got hacked. The attacker managed to brute force an administrator account to gain access to the site. Using the account, the hacker planted malicious code on the site to get access to the site’s database and information. When subscribers and editors started to receive spam that appeared to come from Windows Secrets, site administrators began an investigation to find out what was going on.
Windows Secrets Newsletter website hacked

iPhone 5: clearly the most exciting iPhone yet!

Although many of the digerati have dubbed Apple’s newest iPhone 5 as ‘boring’ or ‘unexciting’, nothing could be further from the truth, with this new iPhone clearly destined to smash all iRecords before it and emerge as the most popular iPhone yet.
iPhone 5: clearly the most exciting iPhone yet!

Amazeballs Joins Mummy Porn As New Additions To Collins Online Dictionary

More than 80 words and terms including blootered, amazeballs and mummy porn have been added to an online dictionary.
Amazeballs Joins Mummy Porn As New Additions To Collins Online Dictionary

ResourceBlog Article: New List of Privacy Resources and Sites on the Internet

Privacy Resources and Sites on the Internet is a comprehensive listing of privacy resources currently available on the Internet. These include associations, indexes, search engines as well as individual websites and sources that supply the latest technology and information about privacy and how it relates to you and the Internet.
ResourceBlog Article: New List of Privacy Resources and Sites on the Internet

Why You Don't Need the iPhone 5, by an iPhone Owner

Can you feel it yet? The slow, subtle build-up in peer pressure. The smug, self-satisfied looks from that guy in the office who pre-ordered the iPhone 5 at midnight. The questions from friends who assume that, because you like tech, you're probably getting one. The calculations you catch yourself making, wondering if you could actually afford it, just in theory.
Why You Don't Need the iPhone 5, by an iPhone Owner

John Lennon interviewed by Jann Wenner, 1970

In December 1970, John Lennon sat down with Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner. This interview took place in New York City Shortly after Lennon and Yoko Ono finished recording the monumental "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band." The conversation is not to be missed, and you can hear them on the Rolling Stone podcast.
John Lennon interviewed by Jann Wenner, 1970

iPhone 5: All the New Stuff

The iPhone 5 is finally here, and it’s — in a word — different. The new iPhone is the most radical redesign of Apple‘s flagship product since its inception, sporting a larger screen, a different shape, more features and even new accessories in the box.
iPhone 5: All the New Stuff

September 11, 2001 as experienced on the International Space Station

On September 11, 2001, US astronaut Frank L. Culbertson watched the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks from the International Space Station. He wrote up his experience that day and the days following in a letter posted on NASA's site.
September 11, 2001 as experienced on the International Space Station

Classic UFO Identification Chart from March 1967

If you love classic sci-fi goodness, then you will definitely enjoy looking through the various ‘alien’ starcraft featured in this classic chart from yesteryear!
Classic UFO Identification Chart from March 1967

A is for Amazon: Google's autocomplete alphabet

A is for Amazon: Google's autocomplete alphabet
Have you done your ABCs with Google lately? Autocomplete for single letters tells us a few things about what's on our minds and who's top dog from A to Z.
A is for Amazon: Google's autocomplete alphabet

How to Check If Your Apple Device ID was Compromised

A hacker group called AntiSec said it has compromised 12 million Apple iOS Unique Device IDs (UDIDs) and personal information from Apple product owners — and there’s a good chance your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch devices could be at risk.
How to Check If Your Apple Device ID was Compromised

WolframAlpha Can Now Do In-depth Analysis of Your Facebook Account

If you’re a big fan of WolframAlpha’s ability to crunch the numbers on just about anything–and we certainly are–you’ll likely be just as delighted as we were to watch it massage the data from your Facebook account. Find out your most liked, discussed, and shared posts, see your Facebook habits, and other neat trends.
WolframAlpha Can Now Do In-depth Analysis of Your Facebook Account

Watch Out for This Sneaky Facebook Scam Disguised as a Photo Notification

The next time Facebook sends you an email about a friend tagging you in a new picture, be cautious -- it could be a trap.
Watch Out for This Sneaky Facebook Scam Disguised as a Photo Notification

Man Finds Magical Disneyland Footage From 1956

It’s been 57 years since Walt Disney opened the first of several theme parks. How did these theme parks become known for their magic? Let’s take a look back in time.
Man Finds Magical Disneyland Footage From 1956

12 Most Cliché Photos on Instagram

A steaming broccoli and cheese casserole straight from the oven … a bed of clouds gathering above the sunset … your feet in a warm mountain of sand. It’s true, cliché photographs can be the most comforting and captivating images. And where does much of it live? You guessed it — Instagram.
12 Most Cliché Photos on Instagram

10 programs that make Windows 8 better

So you have made the jump and installed Windows 8 on a computer, or, you are planning to buy a tablet, laptop or desktop PC running Microsoft’s latest operating system. If this is your first contact with the OS, chance is that you will need some time adjusting to the new startpage, missing start menu, and all the smaller changes that come with it.
10 programs that make Windows 8 better

Prepare for Isaac With Google Crisis Map

While residents of the Gulf Coast are buying up supplies and boarding up windows, they are also likely noting that Hurricane Isaac is, coincidentally enough, arriving on the 7th anniversary this week of Hurricane Katrina. That leaves many people seeking shelter elsewhere, and wondering about the projected path of the storm.
Prepare for Isaac With Google Crisis Map

Send Us Your Hurricane Isaac Photos

Seven years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Gulf Coast residents are bracing themselves for Hurricane Isaac.
Send Us Your Hurricane Isaac Photos

Blue Moon set to appear August 31, 2012

A Blue Moon will be present for all to see on Friday, August 31, 2012. Don’t miss this one, because you’ll not get another one for almost three years.
Blue Moon set to appear August 31, 2012

The Best Ways To Open A Stubborn Jar Lid

We each have our own favourite method for opening a stubborn jar lid. The folks at America’s Test Kitchen have a great selection of tips that will open any stubborn lid if your preferred way doesn’t work.
The Best Ways To Open A Stubborn Jar Lid

Watch Neil Armstrong narrowly escape a 1968 training accident

This silent film clip is posted at the Smithsonian's Air & Space Magazine blog.

Watch Neil Armstrong narrowly escape a 1968 training accident

Neil Armstrong, 1930-2012: One Giant Loss for Mankind

Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon or any other world beyond Earth, died today. The former test pilot and NASA astronaut recently celebrated his 82nd birthday, and underwent heart surgery just weeks ago.
Neil Armstrong, 1930-2012: One Giant Loss for Mankind

Neil Armstrong, First Man on the Moon, Dead at 82

Neil Armstrong, the first man to land on the moon as commander of NASA’s Apollo 11 mission, has died at 82 according to a report by NBC.
Neil Armstrong, First Man on the Moon, Dead at 82

Curiosity’s Descent to Mars in HD [Video]

Thanks to the Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) mounted on the fore-port side of Curiosity we’re treated to a high-resolution video of Curiosity’s descent to Mars.
Curiosity’s Descent to Mars in HD

“Avoid These Fast Food Items,” Say Fast Food Employees

We all know fast food is not good for us. Most nutrition experts agree that it should be eaten “rarely or never.” But having said that, most of us will grab a meal from a fast food restaurant sometimes.
“Avoid These Fast Food Items,” Say Fast Food Employees

Aussie In Hot Water After Tracking His Stolen iPad

Presumably, when one of your iDevices is stolen with iCloud activated it means you can find where it’s gone with the help of the police, right? After all, Apple helps you track the thing on a satellite map? Not so much for one Canberra man who is currently up on charges of digital trespass for tracking down his allegedly stolen iPad.
Aussie In Hot Water After Tracking His Stolen iPad

How To Beat Facial Recognition Technology

Facial recognition technology isn’t part of science fiction anymore, it’s something that’s being employed by a handful of governments around the world, and even private enterprise is getting in on it with applications like Facedeals. If you don’t want to be pinged in public by a surveillance suite though, hacktivist group Anonymous have made a handy instructional video to keep you safe.
How To Beat Facial Recognition Technology

Unfortunate vintage ads

Unfortunate-in-hindsight vintage ads over at Collectors Weekly.
Unfortunate vintage ads

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 13/2012

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 13/2012

Lolz! Oxford Dictionary Adds Ridic New Words

Hey, tweeps. Done any photobombing lately? You know, while you lifecasted your date night with that ripped Wikipedian; he said he was an ethical hacker, but turned out to be a douche who just wanted to talk vajazzling. Totes ridic, right? Lolz.
Lolz! Oxford Dictionary Adds Ridic New Words

New Zealand Roaming Rorts To Continue

Australia and New Zealand often boast of their close relationship, but if you use a mobile phone from Australia in New Zealand or vice versa, you’ll pay the same ludicrous roaming charges that apply to countries on the other side of the world. A joint government investigation which began back in May 2010 has finally issued a draft report, but all we’re going to get from it is a direction to make pricing clearer. Fat lot of help that is.
New Zealand Roaming Rorts To Continue

The Little Games We All Play Inside Our Heads [VIDEO]

Do you still avoid stepping on sidewalk cracks for fear of breaking your mother’s back? Or embrace your inner Gabby Douglas and teeter on railroad tracks, retaining walls or anything that resembles a balance beam?
The Little Games We All Play Inside Our Heads [VIDEO]

How to Identify a Scam Email

Remember the good-old days, when a Nigerian Prince would offer you riches beyond belief if you’d just help him get some of his ill-gotten gains out of the country? That prince hasn’t e-mailed me in years. He’s been replaced by a wide variety of scam tales, all of them just as hell-bent on making you do things you’re sure to regret later on.
How to Identify a Scam Email

The Most Difficult Security Questions You Will Ever See

This security check is used to prevent the creation of fictitious accounts. Please provide answers to the 2 security questions listed below.
The Most Difficult Security Questions You Will Ever See

‘You Can Do Anything, But Not Everything’

The world is filled with things to do, make and accomplish, but not with a lot of time. This quotation from David Allen, the creator of the Getting Things Done productivity system, is a reminder that we have to remember what’s important to do rather than trying to do it all.
‘You Can Do Anything, But Not Everything’

The Most Amazing Humpback Whale Photos You’ve Ever Seen

Humpback whales swimming in the waters off San Luis Obispo, Calif. created an unexpected and incredible photo opportunity for Bill Bouton.
The Most Amazing Humpback Whale Photos You’ve Ever Seen

Everyday Items Developed By NASA

NASA is often criticized for wasting taxpayer dollars. The $2.5-billion rover that recently landed on Mars has brought this issue to center focus once again.
But the Space Program's research and advancements extend well beyond spaceflight into everyday life. Since the agency's creation in 1958, technologies originally developed for space missions have been adapted for commercial products and services on Earth.
Everyday Items Developed By NASA

Tightrope Walker Defies Death in Heart-Stopping Volvo Ad

Volvo’s new advertising plan for its line of trucks could give potential customers a case of sweaty palms before they ever get behind the wheel.
The Swedish automaker hired Hollywood stunt director Peter Pedrero to coordinate a daredevil feat that involved two speeding semis, a tightrope and a few moments of pure terror.
Watch and then take a deep breath.
Tightrope Walker Defies Death in Heart-Stopping Volvo Ad [VIDEO]

Why You Should be Careful About Cloud Storage

This is not an article meant to compare the advantages and the disadvantages of cloud storage. You already know what the cloud can do for you, but maybe because it’s so easy accessible and at hand, you might not be aware of the minuses that cloud storage presents. While you might be lured into the beauty and versatility of cloud storage, you should be aware of the dangers that it represents.
Why You Should be Careful About Cloud Storage

The Top 10 Memes of the Olympics Will Impress Even McKayla

The London 2012 Olympics bid a British song-and-dance farewell Sunday night, but the memes spawned at the Games will live forever. Or at least until something else catches the Internet’s attention.
The Top 10 Memes of the Olympics Will Impress Even McKayla

The Science of Total Recall

Like many people, I went to see Total Recall recently. Much of the story for this science fiction thriller (based loosely on a short story by Philip K. Dick) concerns “The Fall.” As explained in the introduction for the movie, “The Fall” is a tunnel bored through the center of the Earth that connects the fictional United Federation of Britain and The Colony, which is located in present day Australia.
The Science of Total Recall

For his birthday, (almost) all of Alfred Hitchcock's cameos

In honor of Alfred Hitchcock's birthday - which would have been his 113th - here is a very decent compilation of nearly all the cameos made by the Master of Suspense. He may not have been an angel, but he made us some pretty excellent movies, in which he made some pretty clever cameos.
For his birthday, (almost) all of Alfred Hitchcock's cameos

Google Earth locates lost pyramids

A recent survey using a satellite that provides data to Google Earth found two previously unknown pyramid groupings about 145 kilometers (90 miles) apart in Egypt. Further research will verify the archaeological find.
Google Earth locates lost pyramids

Cloud Storage

Want your files to be everywhere you are? Throw away your thumb drives, and think cloud storage. With so many big companies clamoring to give you free online storage, cloud storage is hot. And, as with many online tools, there is no rule saying you have to stick to just one vendor.
Cloud Storage

10 Terrifying Shark Clips on YouTube

Hurrah! It’s the most wonderful time of the year again. No, we don’t mean the holidays — we mean Shark Week. To celebrate all things great-big-scary-fish-related, we have collected some awesome, user-generated shark clips.
10 Terrifying Shark Clips on YouTube

Tips From A Baggage Handler On How To Avoid Damage To Your Luggage

Baggage handlers have to pick up and move luggage hundreds of times day. The ones that get treated the most carelessly are those that are heaviest, according to a baggage handler, who offers other tips for keeping your luggage intact.
Tips From A Baggage Handler On How To Avoid Damage To Your Luggage

These 11 Olympic Fails Will Make You Cringe

Olympic athletes are at the top of their game, having labored tirelessly for years to prepare their bodies for the grandest of stages. And because of this ceaseless conditioning, no athlete ever makes an error.
These 11 Olympic Fails Will Make You Cringe

7 Tricks Your Mind Plays On You (And How To Fight Back)

Have you ever noticed that your own mind is sabotaging your path to happiness? While your mind may not be the sole culprit, it is a clever foe. Your brain can mislead you and make you miserable… and you won’t even know it.
7 Tricks Your Mind Plays On You (And How To Fight Back)

Top 10 Ways To Boost Your Home Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is one of the most useful and important parts of using a computer, and yet it’s also one of the most frustrating. If you’re plagued by slow speeds, bad reception, and other Wi-Fi issues, here are 10 ways you can power up the Wi-Fi in your home.
Top 10 Ways To Boost Your Home Wi-Fi

Learn How to Tie a Bow Tie with Bill Nye the Science Guy [Video]

You’ve got the lab coat, you’ve got the slacks and sensibly comfortable shoes, you almost have your dashing scientist look down pat–you just need the nail that bow tie. Who better to teach you than the bow tie wearing Bill Nye?
Learn How to Tie a Bow Tie with Bill Nye the Science Guy [Video]

Increase the Security of Your LastPass Account with Two New Options

Two new security options are now available to LastPass users in the account settings dialog, which can be opened from the LastPass vault: the ability to restrict logins to selected countries and to disable access from TOR.
Increase the Security of Your LastPass Account with Two New Options

Beating The Australia Tax: Can The Government Do Anything To Stop It?

The Government’s inquiry into local price gouging for tech seems to be going swimmingly, but now that the first hearings are over and the dust is beginning to settle, questions are emerging as to what the government can actually do to stop these companies charging Australians through the nose. Can the government actually stop industry gouging? We can reveal new information that says that perhaps it can.
Beating The Australia Tax: Can The Government Do Anything To Stop It?

How bus passengers avoid each other

Yale University sociologist Esther Kim traveled thousands of miles on buses to study "nonsocial transient behavior," basically how passengers keep their distance. Of course, the most obvious unspoken rule is that you should never sit beside someone if you can avoid it.
How bus passengers avoid each other

Gmail vs Outlook - Ten Reasons to Love the new Outlook.com

Several unique and useful features in Outlook.com that you will surely miss inside Gmail.
Gmail vs Outlook - Ten Reasons to Love the new Outlook.com

Revealing the Psychology of Playing Card Magic

For thousands of years, magicians have amazed audiences by developing and applying intuitions about the mind. Skilled magicians can manipulate memories, control attention, and influence choices. But magicians rarely know why these principles work. Studying magic could reveal the mechanisms of the mind that enable these principles, to uncover the why rather than just the how.
Revealing the Psychology of Playing Card Magic

How to Get the Outlook.com Email Address You Want

Microsoft just completely overhauled Hotmail, rebranding it as Outlook and moving the whole email service to Outlook.com. The app is actually much improved, but longtime Hotmail users will probably have tons of questions — the most important being: What’s my email address now?
How to Get the Outlook.com Email Address You Want:

Microsoft pushes out Outlook.com mail preview

Todays craze in the tech world is Microsoft’s launch of outlook.com, a preview of an email service that may replace Hotmail eventually, or act as a completely independent service. No on knows yet for sure. What everyone suggests though is that you grab your outlook.com email address before it is picked up by someone else.
Microsoft pushes out Outlook.com mail preview

[How to] Upgrade to Outlook.com Email from Hotmail or Live.com

Hotmail, the world’s first webmail service is no more. Technically, it isn’t dead yet, but Microsoft is rebranding Hotmail.com as Outlook.com and will soon phase it out of the interwebs.
[How to] Upgrade to Outlook.com Email from Hotmail or Live.com

Gender Indicators, Australia, Jul 2012

The indicators presented in the July 2012 issue of Gender Indicators, Australia, are organised in six domains representing major areas of social concern for gender equality - Economic security, Education, Health, Work and family balance, Safety and justice, and Democracy, governance and citizenship.
Gender Indicators, Australia, Jul 2012

10 Budget Airfare Tools Every Traveler Should Know

If you’re daydreaming about white sand, cobbled streets or medieval cityscapes, you’re probably in need of a vacation. Being strapped for cash shouldn’t keep you from traveling.
10 Budget Airfare Tools Every Traveler Should Know

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 12/2012

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 12/2012

Facts at your Fingertips: Health, 2011

The average Australian is a little heavier and taller than a decade ago, according to health reports released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

On average, men and women aged 18 and over were both around 3 kilograms heavier in 2007–08 than they were in the mid-nineties. However the height increase of men was almost twice that of women, at 1.2 cm for men and 0.7 cm for women.
Facts at your Fingertips: Health, 2011:

Google Maps Adds Sydney Public Transport Directions (At Last!)

Sydneysiders rejoice! Google Maps has finally added public transport directions for buses, trains and ferries.
Google Maps Adds Sydney Public Transport Directions (At Last!)

Sharing Works: 100,000 concert recordings for free

We just hit a milestone: 100,000 free concert recordings from over 5,200 bands!
Sharing Works: 100,000 concert recordings for free

What You Probably Didn't Know About London [VIDEO]

The Olympic Games direct the attention of the world to London this summer, but how much do you really know about the UK capital? YouTube’s resident knowledge bestower C.G.P. Grey shares a fascinating lesson on London and the City of London — yes, they’re two different places.
What You Probably Didn't Know About London [VIDEO]

The Cloud: questions you should ask yourself before storing data in it

Hosting data in the cloud has consequences though, and it is highly recommended to understand what those consequences will be before making any data available in the cloud. The following questions can help you significantly in making that decision.
The Cloud: questions you should ask yourself before storing data in it

ExpenseMagic Turns Receipts Into Reports By Photographing Them

iOS: Got a wallet or drawer full of receipts you need to track? ExpenseMagic is a service that lets you photograph them on your iPhone and then has the data from them typed into a monthly expense report for you
ExpenseMagic Turns Receipts Into Reports By Photographing Them

Heroic Bus Driver Catches Girl in Three-Story Fall [VIDEO]

Stephen St. Bernard braced himself for impact and in a flash, the weight of a 7-year-old child plummeting three-stories crashed into his arms.
Heroic Bus Driver Catches Girl in Three-Story Fall [VIDEO]

Bleeding Virgin Mary statue attracts crowds in Baton Rouge

Believers are flocking to this Baton Rouge neighborhood to see a statue of Mother Mary with their own eyes. You see, everyone here believes the statue is bleeding.
Bleeding Virgin Mary statue attracts crowds in Baton Rouge

Become an Antarctic explorer with panoramic imagery

Today we’re bringing you additional panoramic imagery of historic Antarctic locations that you can view from the comfort of your homes.
Become an Antarctic explorer with panoramic imagery

NASA Releases Awesome Images of Massive Solar Flare Heading Toward Earth [VIDEO]

NASA is keeping a close eye on that solar flare that started on Thursday, July 12, and now it’s released dramatic time-lapse video and photos of the flare that’s found its way to Earth.
NASA Releases Awesome Images of Massive Solar Flare Heading Toward Earth [VIDEO]

Billabong website hacked; reveals passwords of 21,000 users

In order to make life easy for all concerned, Billabong chose to store details for their web site subscribers in plain text. How very thoughtful.
Billabong website hacked; reveals passwords of 21,000 users

Microsoft Malware Prevention troubleshooter

The Microsoft Malware Prevention trouble shooter is designed to scan your computer and make recommended changes based on your current settings to provide you with the most up to date security for your Windows operating system. Building up your computer’s defenses helps secure your computer against viruses and other malicious software.
Microsoft Malware Prevention troubleshooter

Watch How Snake Venom Destroys Your Blood [VIDEO]

It’s bad to get bitten by a poisonous snake. That’s obvious. But just what does snake venom do once it’s released from the fangs that have pierced your flesh? This video provides a terrifying illustration.
Watch How Snake Venom Destroys Your Blood [VIDEO]

Why is 98.6 just right for your body but too hot for the weather?

Slate has a nice explainer covering heat wave health problems. The central question: If my body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, why am I uncomfortable when it's 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit outdoors?
Why is 98.6 just right for your body but too hot for the weather?

Windows 8 RTM Coming in First Week of August, General Availability in October

Today at Microsoft’s annual Partner Conference, Tami Reller, Windows Chief Marketing Officer, revealed some big news about Windows 8. She announced that Windows 8 RTM will be released in the first week of August, and Windows 8 will reach general availability by the end of October.
Windows 8 RTM Coming in First Week of August, General Availability in October

These Pool Trick Shots Defy The Laws Of Physics

This video is amazing, but it serves as more of a public service announcement than a trick shot video. The announcement? Never make a bet involving with these guys. You will lose all of your money, all of your dignity and maybe even your significant other to these gravity-defying masters of felt.
These Pool Trick Shots Defy The Laws Of Physics

DNSChanger - what should you do?

Midnight tomorrow, Eastern US Daylight time, the FBI's DNSChanger redirector will be turned off. If you're affected by the DNSChanger malware, you will lose your ability to navigate the Internet. Here's what you should do.
DNSChanger - what should you do?

Here's the Most Stunning Photo of Mars the World Has Ever Seen

NASA has released a new panorama from its Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, showing the terrain where the robot spent the four-month Martian winter. The full-circle scene combines 817 images shot by the panoramic camera (Pancam). You can download the complete image and learn more about the expedition on NASA’s website.
Here's the Most Stunning Photo of Mars the World Has Ever Seen

Common Questions When Buying an HDTV Set

With the Summer Olympics about to start and lots of great things to view on a big screen TV like games, streaming movies, Blu-ray movies and more, here's a set of questions we are commonly asked about buying a new HDTV set.
Common Questions When Buying an HDTV Set

Stay Smart Online unsmartly loses user data offline

Stay Smart Online, the Federal Government website designed to educate Australians about cyber security risks, has managed to lose details of a large number of its subscribers.
Stay Smart Online unsmartly loses user data offline

Are You Comfortable With Airlines Researching You On Google?

According to the London Evening Standard, British Airways is beginning a program in which employees google the faces of passengers for upcoming flights so that they may immediately greet them upon entry to the airport gate/aeroplane.
Are You Comfortable With Airlines Researching You On Google?

Man Interviews His 12-Year Old Self [VIDEO]

What would it be like if you could go back in time and talk to a younger version of yourself? Filmmaker and actor Jeremiah McDonald got to experience that process — in a way — thanks to a video tape he made for his future self back in 1992.
Man Interviews His 12-Year Old Self [VIDEO]

Wimbledon Fan Advises Backhand; Player Agrees, Wins Point [VIDEO]

Can crowdsourcing work at a tennis match? If one piece of shouted advice at Wimbledon is any clue, the answer is yes.
Wimbledon Fan Advises Backhand; Player Agrees, Wins Point [VIDEO]

My stupidest moment as a customer, ever

Reddit thread on stupid customer stories.
My stupidest moment as a customer, ever

Infographics from 1917 on the exciting future of aviation

A page of charts and graphs from the July 7, 1917 issue of The Graphic displays, among other things, Lord Montagu's ideas for how to divvy up airspace, the estimated annual cost of running a London-Paris air route, and the distances covered in one hour by different methods of transportation of the day. Perhaps the most entertaining part is its warning that with the coming age of non-military aviation, 'there may be a revival of smuggling.
Infographics from 1917 on the exciting future of aviation

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 11/2012

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 11/2012

When Will You Get Your Tax Refund?

From today, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) begins processing 2011-2012 tax returns. If you have submitted using e-tax, you should get a refund within 12 business days. That’s slower than the ATO promised last year, and there are some caveats.
When Will You Get Your Tax Refund?

Know The Effects Of Dehydration To Stop Them Before They Start

In most cases, knowing you’re dehydrated is as simple as feeling thirsty. However, sometimes you might miss that feeling or your body will tell you in other ways. Health blog Greatist breaks down the common signs of dehydration so you can fend it off before it starts.
Know The Effects Of Dehydration To Stop Them Before They Start

Telstra: Oh what a tangled web we weave

It all started with a simple query on Whirlpool from a somewhat perplexed new contributor. We now see Telstra in a world of trouble from the Privacy Commissioner and Telecommunications authorities.
Telstra: Oh what a tangled web we weave

'Leap Second Bug' Causes Glitches for LinkedIn, Reddit, More

After an extra second was added to the clock on Saturday to better align it with the Earth’s rotation schedule, a whole slew of websites from LinkedIn, Foursquare and Reddit to Mozlila, Yelp and Gawker sites experienced technical issues.
'Leap Second Bug' Causes Glitches for LinkedIn, Reddit, More

This World Map Of Earthquakes Is As Terrifying As It Is Beautiful

Compared to the rest of the world, Australia is quite fortunate when it comes to earthquakes. The worst we’ve had recently was Melbourne’s rumble a few weeks back — a joke really, when you consider the suffering countries like Japan and New Zealand experienced in 2011. The image above, which plots earthquakes of magnitudes 4.0 or greater from 1898 onwards, shows just how active our planet is, especially near the aforementioned hot spots.
This World Map Of Earthquakes Is As Terrifying As It Is Beautiful

Texting and Driving: A Crash Course [INFOGRAPHIC]

Texting and driving a car at the same time is a dangerous and irresponsible combination — but people do it anyway. A series of sparse, haunting public service ads from AT&T provides a spooky reminder that even sending or receiving short messages can lead to death or lifelong crippling injury.
Texting and Driving: A Crash Course [INFOGRAPHIC]

This Is The Oldest Vinyl Album In The History Of The World

Sometime in 1890, Emile Berliner recorded the first album in the history of the world. Then, that record by the father of the gramophone was destroyed. Today, Patrick Feaster, a sound historian at Indiana University, recreated the album using just a printed photograph of the album. His technique defies belief.
This Is The Oldest Vinyl Album In The History Of The World

Data after a death?

Open question: when a friend dies, what should her loved ones do with the data on her hard-drives?
Data after a death?

Causes of death: 1900 and 2010

An editorial in the 200th anniversary issue of the New England Journal of Medicine looks at mortality and health through the centuries, and includes this chart of causes of death from the turn of the last century, which makes for quite a comparison. We're doing great on kidneys, but hearts not so much.
Causes of death: 1900 and 2010

How to Banish Duplicate Photos with VisiPic

You meant well, you intended to be a good file custodian, but somewhere along the way things got out of hand and you’ve got duplicate photos galore. Don’t be afraid to delete them and lose important photos, read on as we show you how to clean safely.
How to Banish Duplicate Photos with VisiPic

Facebook Switched Your Email to One You've Probably Never Used

Whether you’ve noticed or not, you have a new primary email address listed as your Facebook contact and most likely, it’s an address you’ve never used.
Facebook Switched Your Email to One You've Probably Never Used

Facebook’s Six Sneakiest Settings (And How To Fix Them)

Facebook’s sneaky change to email settings reminds us that the social networking giant rarely has the interests of its users front and centre. Here are seven sneaky Facebook settings you might have forgotten about.
Facebook’s Six Sneakiest Settings (And How To Fix Them)

Do You Live Near A High Containment Biohazard Laboratory?

The Federation of American Scientists has a very interesting map for all the hypochondriacs and people living in permanent fear of a deadly virus epidemic. Or a zombie outbreak. These are all the (known) Biosafety Level 3 and 4 facilities in the world — high containment laboratories that work with “dangerous and emerging pathogens.” Zoom in the image to see if there’s any near you.
Do You Live Near A High Containment Biohazard Laboratory?